scholarly journals Self-Rated Health in Migrant and Non-Migrant Women before, during and after Pregnancy: A Population-Based Study of 0.5 Million Pregnancies from the Swedish Pregnancy Register

2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (6) ◽  
pp. 1764
Author(s):  
Pontus Henriksson ◽  
Emmie Söderström ◽  
Marie Blomberg ◽  
Paulina Nowicka ◽  
Kerstin Petersson ◽  
...  

Self-rated health is a strong health marker. Migrants have been suggested to have poorer self-rated health than non-migrants (i.e., native-born). However, little is known about whether there are disparities in self-reported health in relation to pregnancy. Therefore, the aim of the current study was to examine the odds of poor self-rated health before, during and after pregnancy in migrant women as compared to women born in Sweden. We utilized population-based data from the Swedish Pregnancy Register containing 0.5 million women born in Sweden (i.e., non-migrant women) and migrant women between 2010 and 2018. Self-rated health was reported on a 5-point scale (from very poor to very good). Very poor and poor health were categorized as poor self-rated health. Logistic regression was utilized to calculate odds ratios (ORs) that were unadjusted and adjusted for covariates (age, parity, educational attainment and body mass index). The results demonstrate disparities in self-rated health across birth regions. In comparison to women born in Sweden, women born in Latin America and the Caribbean, South Asia as well as North Africa and the Middle East had consistently higher odds of poor self-rated health before, during and after pregnancy (ORs ranging from 1.14 to 1.96 in both unadjusted and adjusted models). Although women born in Sub-Saharan Africa did have comparable self-rated health as to women born in Sweden before pregnancy, after accounting for covariates, they had lower odds of poor self-rated health during and after pregnancy (ORs: 0.71 and 0.80 respectively). Therefore, additional measures and support may be needed to tackle disparities in health between migrant and non-migrant women before, during and after pregnancy.

2018 ◽  
Vol 29 (7) ◽  
pp. 1948-1959 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jeffrey Perl ◽  
Eric McArthur ◽  
Vivian S. Tan ◽  
Danielle M. Nash ◽  
Amit X. Garg ◽  
...  

Background The epidemiology of ESRD requiring maintenance dialysis (ESRD-D) in large, diverse immigrant populations is unclear.Methods We estimated ESRD-D prevalence and incidence among immigrants in Ontario, Canada. Adults residing in Ontario in 2014 were categorized as long-term Canadian residents or immigrants according to administrative health and immigration datasets. We determined ESRD-D prevalence among these adults and calculated age-adjusted prevalence ratios (PRs) comparing immigrants to long-term residents. Among those who immigrated to Ontario between 1991 and 2012, age-adjusted ESRD-D incidence was calculated by world region and country of birth, with immigrants from Western nations as the referent group.Results Among 1,902,394 immigrants and 8,860,283 long-term residents, 1700 (0.09%) and 8909 (0.10%), respectively, presented with ESRD-D. Age-adjusted ESRD-D prevalence was higher among immigrants from sub-Saharan Africa (PR, 2.17; 95% confidence interval [95% CI], 1.84 to 2.57), Latin America and the Caribbean (PR, 2.11; 95% CI, 1.90 to 2.34), South Asia (PR, 1.45; 95% CI, 1.32 to 1.59), and East Asia and the Pacific (PR, 1.34; 95% CI, 1.22 to 1.46). Immigrants from Somalia (PR, 4.18; 95% CI, 3.11 to 5.61), Trinidad and Tobago (PR, 2.88; 95% CI, 2.23 to 3.73), Jamaica (PR, 2.88; 95% CI, 2.40 to 3.44), Sudan (PR, 2.84; 95% CI, 1.53 to 5.27), and Guyana (PR, 2.69; 95% CI, 2.19 to 3.29) had the highest age-adjusted ESRD-D PRs relative to long-term residents. Immigrants from these countries also exhibited higher age-adjusted ESKD-D incidence relative to Western Nations immigrants.Conclusions Among immigrants in Canada, those from sub-Saharan Africa and the Caribbean have the highest ESRD-D risk. Tailored kidney-protective interventions should be developed for these susceptible populations.


2011 ◽  
Vol 5 (09) ◽  
pp. 652-657 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jorg Heukelbach ◽  
Uade Samuel Ugbomoiko

Introduction: Head lice infestations are common in sub-Saharan Africa, but knowledge, attitudes and practices have never been studied in this region. Methodology: This population-based study was conducted in a small rural community (population = 590) in Kwara State, Central Nigeria. Inhabitants of the community were interviewed regarding head lice infestations, using a pre-tested structured questionnaire, and examined regarding the presence of active pediculosis. Results: Of the 496 participants included, 367 (74.0%) had experienced head lice infestations, but only 26 (11.1%) of the individuals older than 15 years knew the correct mode of transmission. Of 142 individuals with active pediculosis, only 1 (0.7%) felt ashamed. Treatment was most commonly done by grooming (46.3%), followed by combing (27.2%). Only 4.6% used pediculicides, and 21.8% did not apply any treatment. Opinions about difficulties in controlling head lice were asked in three groups: biological, technical and social. In the first group, the most common difficulty noted was detecting head lice (52.1%), followed by possible resistance that would lengthen the time of infestation (38.9%). Technical constraints included concerns on the safety and effectiveness of products (48.7%) and difficulties in obtaining treatment (46.2%). Social contraints included difficulty in treating children (24.4%), lack of knowledge (23.5%), and the social behavior of children (22.2%). Conclusions: Head lice were not perceived as an important disease in a rural Nigerian community, and feelings about the infestation were mostly indifferent. Despite its common occurrence, knowledge on head lice was limited.  


PLoS ONE ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 15 (12) ◽  
pp. e0243948
Author(s):  
Lukia H. Namaganda ◽  
Rita Almeida ◽  
Dan Kajungu ◽  
Fred Wabwire-Mangen ◽  
Stefan Peterson ◽  
...  

Background Studies from high-income countries reported reduced life expectancy in children with cerebral palsy (CP), while no population-based study has evaluated mortality of children with CP in sub-Saharan Africa. This study aimed to estimate the mortality rate (MR) of children with CP in a rural region of Uganda and identify risk factors and causes of death (CODs). Methods and findings This population-based, longitudinal cohort study was based on data from Iganga-Mayuge Health and Demographic Surveillance System in eastern Uganda. We identified 97 children (aged 2–17 years) with CP in 2015, whom we followed to 2019. They were compared with an age-matched cohort from the general population (n = 41 319). MRs, MR ratios (MRRs), hazard ratios (HRs), and immediate CODs were determined. MR was 3952 per 100 000 person years (95% CI 2212–6519) in children with CP and 137 per 100 000 person years (95% CI 117–159) in the general population. Standardized MRR was 25·3 in the CP cohort, compared with the general population. In children with CP, risk of death was higher in those with severe gross motor impairments than in those with milder impairments (HR 6·8; p = 0·007) and in those with severe malnutrition than in those less malnourished (HR = 3·7; p = 0·052). MR was higher in females in the CP cohort, with a higher MRR in females (53·0; 95% CI 26·4–106·3) than in males (16·3; 95% CI 7·2–37·2). Age had no significant effect on MR in the CP cohort, but MRR was higher at 10–18 years (39·6; 95% CI 14·2–110·0) than at 2–6 years (21·0; 95% CI 10·2–43·2). Anaemia, malaria, and other infections were the most common CODs in the CP cohort. Conclusions Risk of premature death was excessively high in children with CP in rural sub-Saharan Africa, especially in those with severe motor impairments or malnutrition. While global childhood mortality has significantly decreased during recent decades, this observed excessive mortality is a hidden humanitarian crisis that needs to be addressed.


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